This is all funny and "entertaining" until Malkin gets hurt. If this wasn't a garage league Ovechkin would've gotten a warning already. The man takes himself out of position charges across the rink in any direction just to take a cheap shot at Malkin which to me makes it obvious his intent to hurt Malkin. I can't say I'm surprised though, I don't know what Ovechkin' problem is and I couldn't care less, but Ovechkin already proved that he is the type of player who puts his own agenda let it be padding his own stats or some sort of personal vendetta, ahead of the best interest of his team.

1. He wants to be the best Russian on NHL ice and he feels Malkin is threatening that.2. The Russian Mafia is paying off Ovie to go after Malkin. I was talking to a Russian immigrant I know and he said the reason Ovie wears a tinted visor is because it is a sign of power and all the mobsters in Russia have tinted windows on their cars and wear sunglasses around everywhere. That being said Ovie seems like the type that would get involved with something like that. Malkin seems like a better person off the ice.

I just wish AO would get called for charging which he is guilty of just about every time he hits Malkin. That would put the biggest stop to it when he spends 8 minutes a night in the penalty box.

Its obviously something personal between the two. AO strays so far out of position to make the hits that its comical. I also thought that instead of jumping he stuck his knee out on the last two hits he attempted on Malkin the last game.

I do not think the two are friends, there was a quote from Gonchar that made the rounds from a Russian "news" source where he said the two were "acquantinces, not friends" so take that for it what its worth considering the source. So while there may have been an incident between the two I think it leans more towards jealously. AO loves to show off, he celebrates every goal regardless of importance like he has never scored before, he celebrates teammates goals excessively just so you know he's still there. He sees Malkin as a legit threat to his plan of being the best Russian player and he is trying to take him out.

The Pens should handle it one of two ways. Either someone goes after AO or they take shots at Semin. This way when Semin is pealing himself off the ice constantly he can ask AO why he is being picked on.

Some article about the olympics and them playing together as linemates mentioned that and they asked Malkin about it, that was followed by a quote from Malkin saying something like "Yes, linemates, not friends". They asked if they were close or something like that and he really wanted to clarify they had been teammates but weren't friends.

Then there's the whole agent-fight incident. There were real articles on that one, anyone got links perhaps?

What Ovechkin did in thursday's game shows me more than anything, that he is still immature and selfish. The NHL MVP and most points award winner made himself null and void to his team by soley attempting to injure Evgeni. AO risked an injury to himself and success for his teammates by playing for himself.

I'll take zero points and looking like a 4th line goon all time if that is how he wants to play the penguins.

I have read the article saying Ovie punched Geno's agent, but then I read an article saying it was totally false. I also read where someone asked Geno why he and Ovie dont get along, and he said something like "its not even worth talking about".

I think most Russians look really solemn and serious on the bench, its beat into them as junior hockey players not to show emotion on the benches, Ovie is the exception.

Ovie is an idiot and needs taken out. He should NEVER have the chance to hurt Geno again.

meecrofilm wrote:Ovechkin is probably just jealous that Malkin is better than him, and can't stand to take another Russian stealing his spotlight.

I wouldn't be surprised if he "accidentally" hurts Semin in practice, while we're at it. Just you wait

Ovechkin has already said last year that he expects Malkin to be better than he is. He was the one that told people there was someone coming to America that will eventually be better than he is. There's nothing sinister or subterfuge in what he's doing. Ovie knows how he stands with Sid. This is another kind of thing - this is the two best Russian NHL players competing with one another. Ovie is goading Malkin & one day Malkin will retaliate & that will be that.

As for Ovie punching the agent, it appears to be another lie/bad translation/rumored story.

Thanks to the ever-generous Dmitry Chesnokov for passing this along:Pavel Lysenkov, a Sovetsky Sport editor, called Alex Ovechkin about an hour ago to find out if the rumor regarding his alleged fight was true. Alex Ovechkin stated that this was not true. Alex added that this was just a rumor. He also stated that Ushakov and he have a good relationship.

It's the internet people, that's a billion times one message board in getting rumors started.

So there you have it, straight from the horse's mouth, as it were. Rumor quashed.

The Hockey Night in Canada broadcast tonight, the guys even commented on the 'rivalry'. They didn't give any specifics, but spoke as if there is very real animosity there. In fact, they were saying that it could be problems on the Olympic team, as the Russians are going to want the both of them, and they probably won't agree to play together.

You have to think, given that O didn't run anyone else, like Crosby, that it has to be something more than just hockey.

That was interesting - and they also mentioned that apparently, AO and Malkin ended up in the same restaurant during the all star break - and they ended up glaring at each other the whole time - and then a mutual friend got them separated to different areas to avoid a potential scene at the restaurant.

I think the Olympic stuff is overblown - I can't see either player putting their hatred over their countries, but it definitely will be interesting to see those two on the same team.

As others speculated, it has to be a Russian thing. It also seems to have started fairly recently - i.e. you didn't see this during Malkin's rookie year.

If, and I repeat "if" Ovie is truly taking runs at Malkin in an attempt to hurt him something needs to be done about it. The league doesn't need another Bertuzzi attack type thing happening (not saying that would actually happen, but who can say for sure if a guy spends an entire game running after someone else). It doesn't even matter if it's not Ovie or Malkin or any two 4th liners. That stuff can't be allowed to happen. If the league won't talk to him about it then Goddard needs to get involved. We don't want a guy like Malkin getting in fights and risking those hands on something like that.

dcfan wrote:All this talk about Ovie trying to injure Malkin pales in comparison to Malkin's boarding of Semin. That could really have caused a serious injury.

Seriously, and this is a true question and not an attempt at sarcasm... I didn't see the boarding thing, so did that happen first and that is why Ovie was after him? Because that might explain the sudden hatred Ovie has for Malkin.

dcfan wrote:All this talk about Ovie trying to injure Malkin pales in comparison to Malkin's boarding of Semin. That could really have caused a serious injury.

Seriously, and this is a true question and not an attempt at sarcasm... I didn't see the boarding thing, so did that happen first and that is why Ovie was after him? Because that might explain the sudden hatred Ovie has for Malkin.

dcfan wrote:All this talk about Ovie trying to injure Malkin pales in comparison to Malkin's boarding of Semin. That could really have caused a serious injury.

Seriously, and this is a true question and not an attempt at sarcasm... I didn't see the boarding thing, so did that happen first and that is why Ovie was after him? Because that might explain the sudden hatred Ovie has for Malkin.

I don't get the feeling that its sudden at all.

I couldn't say, but I thought I read quotes from as recent as last season where each was calling the other the best player in the league.

I think Ovie started going after Malkin before the Semin boarding. Why I don't know, and I'd prefer he play his usual style. I heard Boudreau was unhappy about it and made that clear to him. They used to be friendly and trained together during the summer of '07 in Russia - I've seen pictures. They will probably have to make peace before or during the Olympics!

dcfan wrote:All this talk about Ovie trying to injure Malkin pales in comparison to Malkin's boarding of Semin. That could really have caused a serious injury.

Semin, luckily was still able to score the winning goal~ if AO had gotten Evgeni against the boards last January or any of the many times last Thursday, both players could have been injured. NHL still onlydishes out the penalties/suspensions based on degree of injury. Caps coach was quoted after the game, saying he (ovechkin) loss focus during the game.

If Geno ever seriously got into an offseason strength program and gained 25 lbs over the next three (or four) years he could be absolutely beastly out there. A 6-3, 220lb Geno would give teams nightmares.

From the looks of things, Ovechkin seems more intent on stoking the flames of the competition against Malkin, which will bear monitoring in the run-up the 2010 Olympics, when both will be mainstays of the Russian team.

"It's nothing special," said Ovechkin, with a shrug. "I just play hard.

"If not Malkin, it's someone else - I hit them, too. Nothing personal. I like him, he's my friend, but when we go to the ice, we're not friends, we're rivals."